# How do you work with influencers without an agency?

> Direct collaborations require running in-house creator discovery, personalized outreach, clear contract negotiations, and hands-on campaign tracking.

- Canonical: https://www.influentials.com/en-us/knowledge/for-brands/working-with-influencers-without-an-agency
- Locale: en-us
- Hub: brands
- Published: 2026-08-18
- Updated: 2026-08-18

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Working directly with influencers allows brands to cut out third-party commission fees, build authentic long-term relationships, and retain direct creative control. However, it requires internal dedicated time to manage outreach, contracts, and logistics.

## Steps for Direct Influencer Collaborations:

- **In-House Discovery:** Use native search filters on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube or specialized discovery tools to find creators with high audience alignment.
- **Personalized Outreach:** Send tailored direct emails or messages explaining specifically why their content style matches your brand, avoiding automated template spam.
- **Transparent Negotiation:** Establish compensation models early - whether flat fees, free product gifting, performance commissions, or a hybrid agreement.
- **Direct Legal Contracting:** Provide a clear, simple agreement defining deliverables, content deadlines, usage rights, paid ad rights, and FTC/ad compliance rules.
- **Streamlined Operations:** Use shared tools (Google Docs, Notion, or Trello) to coordinate product shipping, manage content approvals, and track campaign links and metrics.

Want to put this into practice? See how [Influentials helps brands](https://www.influentials.com/for-brands) run creator and UGC campaigns, or [book a demo](https://www.influentials.com/book-a-demo) to talk it through.